Cleaning up

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor CHERYL CRUZ Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Another MassKara weekend has passed and, based on the initial reviews from our visitors and the locals alike, this year’s celebration can be considered as another successful endeavor for the organizers and the City of Smiles. Since the month began, thousands upon thousands have flocked to Bacolod, partaking of our food, hospitality, and festivities.

Our artists wowed them with various art installations, the MassKara street and arena dance contingents as well as the Electric MassKara continued to impress the newcomers and the MassKara veterans alike. As thousands upon thousands of merrymakers filled our streets for night after night of parties, the men and women of the police deserve kudos for keeping everything relatively safe and orderly despite the massive challenge that they faced. Even the intermittent storm every now and then couldn’t stop the flood of humanity that came out to celebrate this unique festival and party over the weekend.

As the city slowly returns to normalcy, we also salute the cleaning crews that have somehow managed to put away the trash that has been generated by those days and nights of nonstop merrymaking. The streets of Bacolod actually looked quite decent on Monday morning, considering the sheer number of people that clogged the major streets of the city over the course of the culminating weekend of this year’s MassKara celebrations.

As the clean-up progresses, everyone should pitch in, especially the various big-time corporate sponsors that spent oodles of cash on various events over the course of the festivities as well as to plaster every inch of the city with flaglets, streamers and posters of every conceivable color, shape and size. We hope that just as they spent to put up those advertising materials, they have also allocated the resources for the expeditious removal of those hanging pieces of trash that are fast degrading and quickly transforming into eyesores.

Any MassKara celebration should not be considered a success until the city is returned to the way it was before the festivities started. If there are any sponsors or participants who are too lazy to clean up after themselves, then maybe the City government could take note of their irresponsibility and teach them a lesson by blacklisting them from succeeding celebrations.*